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Aston Martin to race next year in ALMS; Grand-Am in new partnership with TRG

November 28, 2012

Aston Martin announced on Thursday it would be joining with TRG to bring Aston Martin Racing to North America. Photo by ASTON MARTIN

Aston Martin Racing is coming to North America.

On Thursday it was announced that the Racer's Group (TRG) and Aston Martin Racing are forming a partnership to bring a factory-supported, multi-faceted Aston Martin Racing program to North America starting in 2013. The move encompasses the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the Pirelli World Challenge as well as plans to launch a single-make support series featuring Aston Martin Vantage GT4 race cars.

The new, multi-level partnership—TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America, LLC—commenced with TRG-AMR North America's acquisition of 10 brand-new race cars to compete in varying North American sports car series. The Aston Martin Vantage GTE will be unveiled at the American Le Mans Series' annual Winter Test on Feb. 7-8 in preparation for the March 16 running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. In the Grand-Am Rolex Series and Pirelli World Challenge, the highly competitive Vantage GT3 is in its final homologation stages and will be ready to race for new customers after the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The new Vantage GT4, running in the Continental Tire Challenge, will debut at the January test days and will be ready to race in support of and alongside the highly successful Multimatic team already running in the championship.

"Aston Martin Racing, as a factory-supported entity, has truly arrived in North America," said Kevin Buckler, who will head the new organization as its CEO. "This program is massive and far-reaching. What we have crafted with Aston Martin Racing is the ability for TRG-AMR North America to compete in all the major race series with multiple teams, and to manage and support all customer programs, marketing, merchandising, transport, maintenance, a new Aston Martin GT4 race series, and even an Aston Martin-specific 'Arrive and Drive' program for corporate clients and customers. I am honored to have my Aston Martin friends and co-drivers Kenneth Greenberg and Robert Nimkoff as partners with us on this new endeavor, and we are all excited to get the programs rolling immediately."

Photo by ASTON MARTIN

Leaders of Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series welcomed the news.

"We've believed from the beginning that the merger of Grand-Am and ALMS would be a game-changer on the North American motorsport landscape," said Grand-Am President and CEO Ed Bennett. "This announcement by TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America is concrete evidence that our belief is bearing fruit—and quickly."

American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton was also excited. "We enthusiastically welcome the return of Aston Martin and the expansion of effort by TRG-Aston Martin Racing North America. Over many seasons, TRG has been a benchmark competitor in both ALMS and Grand-Am, scoring many victories and championships. Today, we're marking a point in North American motorsport that speaks to the confidence of the world's premier automotive brands in our unified vision. This announcement underscores the fact that our sport is now in an unprecedented position to grow and provide value for manufacturers, for teams like TRG-Aston Martin, for our sponsors and most importantly for fans and TV audiences."